Desmond Hillier - University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Professor: Desmond Hillier

Department: Science

College: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ASTRON1120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Dr. Hillier is very willing to help you understand the material. He somehow loses my attention during lectures.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: A0113
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Great class, but fairly difficult for non-physics majors. This is NOT an easy A class. Expect to put in a few hours a week on homework assignments and readings. That being said, you'll learn a LOT, and Dr. Hillier is an immensely knowledgable and interesting man. If you're willing to put in a little work and you like the subject matter, take this.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO0089
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

took this class expecting an EASY A. Worked decently hard and got one. the problem with this course is that it puts you to sleep. Hillier is a great guy that knows his stuff and want us to know it but you wont be able to keep your eyes open which makes it hard. more mentally tough to go to class than it is to get an A. take something else

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO0089
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Throw this man a freaking bone! He's got a passion for astronomy that leaks out but the students have got to take time to talk with him in lecture. It's participatory! Enjoy it! He's a great man with a great spirit that only asks for 1% in return. Tests are fine, quizzes are fine, do the homework, go to observatory - you've got yourself an A.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO87
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Keeps your attention during class. HW's are long but as long as you do them you will learn things that will be on the exams. Remember that this is college not high school so expect to put in work/time. Took this as my sci req, taking his next as well. He does try to trick u on exams so READ CAREFULLY!!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO0087
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

For someone majoring in astron or with knowledge of physics he seems like he would be a good prof. Always has office hours and is willing to meet with you, he's really nice. But for S.F. I would avoid him without those backgrounds. He gives long hws, but spreads the grade out so even though i got two low test grades out of 3 i ended up with a B+

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO0087
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

WORST CLASS EVER! Homeworks are so hard and have nothing to do with class. Class is absolutely mandatory, unless you have a friend to click you in. Recitations are also mandatory. I got low D's on the tests so far, but actually studied. You have no book, so you save money, but your grade suffers. Do not take this class if you want an easy A.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO0087
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This class is hard and not worth taking if your just looking for credits.The homeworks are long and have nothing to do with the class or exam.He tries to trick you during the exam making the exams very hard.Class avg on exam was in the low 70's.His teaching methods are hard to understand and he just assumes to know information without describing it

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ASTR0087
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

RELLY COOL TEACHER!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO087
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Interesting class, interesting teacher. The thing that killed me was the weekly homeworks. Astronomy is already a combination of physics and math, and to make it worse he had to throw writing and comprehension in. Got to the point where I just did the writing assignments and copied down answers to the problems in recitation.Less brutal homework imo

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO0089
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Not a bad professor, but the homework is pretty pointless (usually) and tests tend to have a number of fairly difficult questions on them. Overall a good professor for the class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO0089
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is very passionate about the class but structure is very poor. Does not seem that there is a natural progression through the material so it makes it more difficult. Some parts of the HW are complete waste of time. he likes to say "Its obvious just tell me what i am looking for" in class without any preface. Pretty good elective.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO0087
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Hillier is an EXCELLENT teacher! I loved his class! The tests were a little hard but lectures were SWEET!! He had tons of demos everyday in class and it made it so much more interesting to me!!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ASTRON0087
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Hardest elective ever. Thank god my 76% somehow rounded up to a B. Too much homework, and must go to every class and lecture. Too much work. not an 'easy A'

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BASICSOFSPACE
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Way too much homework, walked into class every day saying to myself "Why did I take this class?!" Attendance in recitation and lecture, this is the kind of elective you stay far far far away from unless you are a glutton for pain.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ASTRON
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great teacher!! Great class.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ASTRON87
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

can be hard to understand sometimes, and if you don't do the homework or come to class its tough, but he has to be the favorite teacher I've ever had.. and if you have to take a science sequence, take astron 89 after this -- easiest sequence at Pit

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: SPACFLIGHT
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He seemed really nice and wanted the students to get good grades. He made the class bearable. I liked the accent but hard to understand him sometimes. I thought tests were hard, but he curves to the class.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: 0087
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is an awesome teacher. On the first day of class he rode in on a rocket car he made out of a red wagon and a fire extinguisher. Deffinitley the man. Makes the topic extemely interesting and fun.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ASTON0087
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very friendly, makes class a lot more interesting